R&B superstar R. Kelly faces serious legal jeopardy in multiple cities, but his quest to clear his name begins in federal court in Brooklyn in August. He faces a sweeping racketeering indictment there alleging his employees and others helped him recruit women and girls for illegal sex, as well as to produce child pornography.
The indictment spans roughly a quarter century and involves six alleged victims. The earliest claims involve Kelly’s much-publicized 1994 marriage, when he was 27, to the late singer Aaliyah Haughton, who was 15 at the time.
Kelly, now 54, has long denied abusing anyone.
Follow this stream for coverage of the trial. If you’re new to the case or need a refresher on what’s happened so far, read through a timeline of Kelly’s alleged criminal activity and history as outlined by federal prosecutors and investigative reporting from the Chicago Sun-Times. Find out who’s who in the Brooklyn courtroom here and brush up on your courtroom lingo with our trial glossary of terms.
